Automatic control for packaging apparatus



Jan. 25, 1955 M. A. LINCE 2,700,498

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR PACK-AGING'APPARATUS File d Dec. 10, 1952. 3 sheets-sheet 1 1&4

Jan. 25, 1955 M. A. LINCE AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 25, 1955 'M. A. LINCE AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR PACKAGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 10, 1952 HIP: w

WAN

United States Patent AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR PACKAGING APPARATUS Mario A. Lince, Sagamore, Mass.

Application December 10, 1952, Serial No. 325,137

3 Claims. (Cl. 226F29),

This invention relates to packaging machinery and more especially to apparatus for 'filling cartons with cranberries.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means for automatically controlling delivery of a measured quantity of berries to a carton to be filled therewith only when there is a carton present to receive the charge thereby to eliminate wasting berries by discharging them onto the floor in the absence of a carton. Further objects are to provide control means of the foregoing kind which may be incorporated in packaging machinery without material alteration in its structure; which will be inexpensive to install, durable and dependable.

As herein illustrated, a conveyor delivers cartons successively to a place of loading where each receives a charge of berries and then moves on to a place of discharge. At the place of charging there is a hopper for conducting the berries to an open portion of thecarton with which there is associated a gate for controlling the flow of berries therefrom. There is power operated mechanism operable for opening and closing the gate and there is means at the place of loading operable in response to the presence of a carton at the place of loading to effect actuation of the power operated'means to open the gate and in the absence of a carton to maintain it closed.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is an end elevation ofthe machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2a is a perspective viewof a fragmentary portion of the carton feeding mechanism;

Fig. 2b is a fragmentary portion to larger scale showing a suitable valve for operating the gate;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;"

Fig, 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus has a base on which are mounted in vertical positions a post 12 and rotatable shaft 14, the lower ends of which are set into base plates 16 bolted to the base 10. On the vertical shaft 14 there are arranged in vertically spaced positions carton holders 18 and 20 for the upper and lower ends of a carton, funnels or charging devices 22 for guiding a charge of berries into the upper open end of the carton, means 24 including a gate for controlling the flow of berries to the charging means and charge measuring means 26.

The upper element 18 of the carton holding means comprises a cruciform shaped plate fastened to the shaft 14 having at the end of each of its arms 28 a downwardly bent lip 30, the edge of which is straight and is adapt: ed to engage the inwardly facing side of the carton as shown in Fig. 1. While the lip 30 is shown straight because the wall of the carton is flat, if a curved wall container were to be used the edge of the lip 30 would be correspondingly curved. The lower element 20. of the carton holder consists of four plates 34 located vertically below the arms 28 on radially extending rods 36. The plates 34v have flat horizontal portions for receiving the bottoms of the cartons placed thereon and downwardly sloping lips 38 at their opposite edges which facilitate sliding movement of the cartons on to the iiat portions from the conveyor means which will be descr bed. herema 2,700,498 Patented Jan. 25, 1955 after. The rods 36 are fastened to a collar 40 mounted on the shaft 14 and are rotatable therewith. The collar 40 has formed integral with it and subjacent to the rods a pair of spaced flanges 42 for receiving between them rollers 44, the latter through mechanism which will not be described herein serving to vibrate the lower holders as they rotate with the shaft 14 thereby to cause the berries to settle compactly in the cartons.

The cartons are delivered to the h lders 18 and 20 by a conveyor 46 and after charging with berries, are removed by the same conveyor. As will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the conveyor consists of a pair of endless chains 48 traveling on edge, one above the other in a substantially horizontal plane about the periphery of large sprockets 50 fastened to the shaft 14, the sprockets being located about midway between the holders 18 and 20 so that one run 4811 approaches the holders and the other run 48b recedes from the holders. The opposite ends of the chains run on other sprockets not shown. At longitudinally spaced intervals there are fastened to the chain C-shaped' brackets 52 Fig. 2a, each of which has on its upper and lower ends grooves 54 for receiving the edges of guide rails 56 located parallel to the runs of the chains for guiding the brackets in straight lines to and from the sprockets. Each bracket 52 has fastened to it a plate 5 8 which is situated parallel to the chains and perpendicular to. the base. Extending forwardly or outwardly from' opposite edges of the plate 58 are a resilient plate 60 and a pair of vertically spaced resilient fingers 62 for yieldably engaging the opposite sides of a carton about midway between its top and bottom ends. At the outer extremities of the plates 60 and fingers 62, there are arranged guide rails 64 supported from the base by posts 65 ('Fig. 3) for engagement with the outer faces of the cartons as they are moved along by the brackets. During such movement the bottoms of the cartons are supported by horizontal tracks 66 Fig. 3 arranged below the brackets and the tops of the containers are engaged by guide rails 68, the latter serving to hold the lips of the carton folded open. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the guide rails 64 terminate close to the sprockets and when the brackets reach the sprockets, they are guided between the peripheries of the sprockets and a circular guide rail 64a extending from the terminal end of one guide 64' around the sprocket to the opposite guide 64.

The charging device 22 consists of a horizontally arranged plate 72 fastened to a hub 74 mounted on the shaft I l-for rotation therewith about a vertical axis. The plate 72 has a rim 73 and has four circular openings 76 through it at equally spaced distances circumferentially thereof. A cylindrical funnel 78 is fastened to the lower side of the plate over each opening and the lower end of each funnel is tapered as shown at 80 to provide a substantially rectangular opening corresponding substantially in size and shape to the open top of the carton C resting on the plate 34.

Above the funnels 78 there is located the means 24 including the gate for controlling flow of berries to the funnels and thence to the cartons. This consists of a flat plate 82 having a peripheral rim 84. The plate 82 is fastened to a hub 83 mounted on the shaft 14 and is held stationary so that it does not rotate with the shaft by a plate 134 which is made fast thereto and has an end edge of concave shape which embraces the post 12. The plate 82 has a single circular opening 86 through it corresponding in size to the circular openings in the plate 72 and there is fastened over this opening on the underside of the plate a sleeve 86a Fig.5, the latter extending half way down to the plate 72 and being telescopically engaged with a sleeve 88 of slightly larger diameter, the lower end of which rests on' the plate 72. Since the plate 82 is fixed as rotation of the plate 72 takes place, it merely slides beneath the lower end of the sleeve 88. On the top side of the plate 82, there is mounted a flat circular disk 92 Fig. 5 corresponding substantially in diameter to the inside diameter of the rim. The plate 82 has in it an arcuate slot- 94 (Fig. 4) and an arcuate anchoring plate 96 is bolted to the underside of the plate. 9.2 within the slot 94 so'as to be'slidable along the slot. One end of a link 28; is; fastened midway between the ends of the plate 96. The opposite end of the link 98 is fastened to one end of an arm 100 which extends laterally from beneath the plate 82 being pivoted thereto at 102. The outer extremity of the arm 100 has in it a slot 104 as shown in Fig. 2 which slidably receives a pin fastened to the underside of a block 106. The block 106 is made fast to a piston rod 108 which forms part of an air operated piston and cylinder 110, fixed to a bracket 112 extending "laterally from the underside of the fixed plate 82. Admission of air to the air cylinder 110 moves the piston rod from the full line position shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position to the right thereof and this in turn will turn the plate 92 in a direction to bring a circular hole 93 in the plate 92 into registration with the opening 86 in the plate 82 (Fig.

The charge measuring means 26 consists of a plate 118 having a peripheral rim 120. The plate 118 is fastened to a hub 122 which in turn is mounted on the shaft 14 for rotation therewith and has in it four circular openings 123 spaced equally about its center, these openings corresponding in size to the circular openings in the plates 72 and 82. The underside of the plate 118 has fastened over each opening, a sleeve 124 which extends downwardly therefrom toward the plate 82 and telescopically engages a sleeve 126 of slightly larger diameter, the lower end of which rests on the plate 92. Rotation of the shaft 14 moves the sleeves 124 and 126 successively over the opening 93 in the plate 92. If at the time a set of sleeves moves over the opening 86 in the plate 82, the plate 92 is so positioned that the opening 93 in it is in registration with the opening 86 there will be a continuous passage through the sleeves 124, 126, 86a and 88 to the funnel 78.

In order to permit delivery of a predetermined or measured quantity of berries to the cartons, the plate 82 is slidably mounted on the shaft 14 so that it can be moved vertically thereon. Vertical adjustment of the plate is effeced by means of a lever 128 pivoted to the post 12 at 130. The inner end of the lever 128 has a bearing 132 which engages the underside of the hub 83 and holds the plate at a predetermined level depending upon the adjusted position of the lever. An adjusting screw 136 threaded through a boss 138 fast to the post 12 bears on the outer end of the arm 128 and by rotation may be caused to lift or lower the plate 82 and will hold it in any given adjusted position. Through the telescoping arrangement of the sleeves 86a, 88 and 124 and 126, it is evidenced that adjustment for different quantities of berries may be made without disrupting the operation of the apparatus.

The gate as constituted by the plate 92 is operated to permit berries to flow from the sleeves 124 and 126 through the plate 82 and the sleeves 86a and 88 to the funnel 78 and thence to the carton as, follows.

A feeler mechanism 140 is provided for effecting actuation of means which will be described hereinafter to rotate the plate 92 when and only when there is a carton C located on one of the plates 34 in a position below a funnel 78 for reception of a charge of berries. The feeler mechanism comprises a finger 142, Fig. 1, located in the path of rotation of the carton holders at a charging station S as indicated in Fig. 2 which is intermediate the places at which the cartons are delivered to the holders and are discharged therefrom, for engagement with the side of a carton resting on the plate 34. The feeler finger 142 is fastened to the upper end of a lever 144 pivoted midway between its upper and lower ends at 146 on a bracket 148, the latter being fastened to the base 10. The lower end 150 of the lever 144 is situated opposite a micro switch 152 also fastened to the bracket 158. When a carton is resting on the plate 34 it deflects the upper end of the lever rearwardly, that is to the left as illustrated in Fig. 1 so that the lower end 150 of the lever engages and presses the actuating element of the micro switch 152 so as to close a circuit within which there is a solenoid. When there is no carton present on the support the lever 144 tilts in a clockwise direction about its pivot due to the overhang of the finger at its upper end so that its lower end 150 is held out of engagement with the micro switch.

The micro switch 152 is connected by a conductor 154 to a solenoid 156 fastened to the bracket plate 112 as indicated in Fig. 1 and operation of the solenoid admits air to the cylinder 110 so as to drive the piston toward its right end as shown in Fig. 2 and hence to effect operation of the arm in a direction to rotate the plate 92 and to bring the opening 93 therein into registration with the opening 86 in the plate 82. The solenoid actuates an air valve 158 at the end of the piston such as shown in Fig. 2b.

As illustrated the valve body 158 Fig. 2b has an inlet passage 159 which is connected by Way of a conduit 160 to a high pressure air supply conduit 162 Fig. 2. An air gauge 164 and pressure regulator 166 are interposed between the valve and conduit 162. The valve body 158 has in it a pair of passages or ports 168 and 170 which are suitably connected to the opposite ends of the air cylinder 110. A valve passage 172 joins the ports 168 and 170 with the inlet passage 159 and contains a slide valve 174 normally yieldably held at one end of the passage 172 by a spring 176. As illustrated when the slide valve 174 is held down by the spring'air will pass from the inlet 159 through the port 168 to one end of the cylinder. A conduit 178 extends from one end of the passage 172 to the solenoid 156 Fig. 1 which in turn is connected to the supply conduit 162 by way of a bypass 180. Movement of the solenoid in one direction closes the bypass so that air can only enter the valve body through the inlet 159 while movement of the solenoid in the opposite direction will admit air through the bypass 180 to the underside of the valve 174, thereby lifting it to cover the port 168 and open the port 170 thus reversing the movement of the piston.

In operation the shaft 12 is continuously or intermittently rotated about its vertical axis by suitable means not shown herein and during such rotation cartons C are successively delivered to the holders 18 and 20 by the endless conveyor referred to above. To this end the cartons are placed between the plate and fingers of the brackets on the endless conveyor and are carried forward between the guides 66 and 68 to the holders 18 and 20 where each carton is lodged with its base resting on the plate 34 and its upper end resting against an arm 30 whereupon it is carried in a circular path about the vertical axis of the shaft 14 to the opposite side of the apparatus and then is conveyed rearwardly to a place of discharge. During movement of each carton in its circular path about the axis of the shaft, it is filled with berries by way of the funnels 78 which travel in a circular path with the cartons. Whenever a carton reaches the filling station designated at S, it brushes or wipes against the feeler finger 142. The feeler finger actuates the micro switch 152 which in turn actuates the solenoid 156 and the air operated piston 110 to rotate the plate 92 to a position to bring its opening 93 into alignment with the opening 86 in the plate 82 and thus allows berries in the sleeves 124 and 126 to flow therefrom through the sleeves 86a and 88 and thence through the funnel 78 to the carton. In the absence of a carton on the support the feeler finger tilts to the right as indicated in Fig. 1, thereby disengaging the lower end from the micro switch. As long as the micro switch is not tripped the solenoid holds the air valve closed and hence the arm 100 will remain in its full line position as shown in Fig. 2, holding the plate 92 in such a position that its opening 93 is not in registration with the opening 86 in the plate 82. This prevents flow of berries from the cylinders 124 and 126 to the cylinders 86a and 88.

As related above the quantity of berries may be varied by adjustment of the vertical position of the plate 82 which changes the volume of the sliding sleeves 124 and 126. It was also pointed out that the rotation of the shaft 14 and hence the carton holders, funnels and charge measuring means may be intermittent or continuous. Any suitable conventional mechanism may be interposed in the drive for effecting the desired intermittent motion to cause the component parts to pause at the loading station S for a suflicient interval to permit flow of the berries from the measuring means to the cartons. As a matter of fact, however, it is not necessary to employ intermittent motion since the berries flow very freely and the openings in the plates 114 and 82 are of large enough diameter so that during the interval that it takes for the holes to come into registry and to move out of registry all of the berries will flow through into the cartons.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for packaging berries, a pair of spaced parallel shafts, one of which is rotatable, a pair of vertically spaced, horizontally disposed circular plates mounted on the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, a third flat circular plate mounted on the rotatable shaft, said third plate being vertically movable on the shaft between the pair of spaced plates, means on said third plate engaged with the fixed shaft preventing rotation thereof with the rotatable shaft, means on the fixed shaft adjustably operable to raise and lower the third plate with reference to the pair of plates, said spaced plates having a plurality of aligned equally spaced openings therethrough and said third plate having a single valve opening therein, with which one pair at a time of the openings in the spaced plates may be brought into registration by rotation of the rotatable shaft, a valve plate mounted on the third plate having a valve opening therein which may be moved to a position to register with the valve opening in the third plate by rotation of the valve plate, means mounted on the third plate operably connected to the valve plate to move it, power operated means for effecting operation of the last-named means to move the valve plate from a position normally closing the opening to an open position in response to the presence of a carton, carton holding means located below the lower one of the spaced plates in a position vertically below the valve opening in the third plate, a feeler associated with the carton support displaceable by the presence of a carton on the support to effect operation of said power operated means to move the valve plate to align the valve opening therein with the valve opening in the third plate, means carried by the upper ones of the pair of plates for receiving a measured quantity of berries, said means being located between the upper one of the spaced plates and the third plate and slidable over the surface of the third plate and the valve plate thereon during rotation of the spaced plates with reference to the third plate, funnel means fast to the lower side of the third plate at the valve opening therein, extending downwardly to and slidably engaged with the lower one of the pair of plates for receiving and conducting berries delivered to the valve opening therein from the funnel to the lower one of the spaced plates, and discharge spouts fast to the lower side of the lower plate at the opening therein for successfully discharging berries delivered thereto through the funnel to the container top at the place of loading.

2. An apparatus for packaging berries according to claim 1, wherein the valve plate is coextensive with the top of the third plate and has a valve opening in it, said third plate has an arcuate slot in it, an arcuate block is bolted to the underside of the valve plate within the arcuate slot, and the means for effecting movement of the valve plate is a lever pivoted to the third plate, connected at one end to the arcuate block and connected at its opposite end to power operated means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding means for the carton comprises vertically spaced radial arms fast to the rotatable shaft and movable therewith in a circular path, each pair of arms being located directly below one of the openings in the lowermost of the spaced plates, the lower one of each pair of arms being adapted to receive the bottom of the carton and the upper one being adapted to engage the side thereof near its top, the feeler comprising a vertically arranged finger pivoted on a horizontal arm with its upper end located adjacent the path of movement of the carton holding means and -its lower end adjacent a switch, said finger being weighted so as to normally tilt toward the path of the carton supporting means and away from the switch and to be deflected by a carton on the carton supporting means away from the path of rotation and into contact with the switch, said switch when actuated operating to activate said power operated means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 602,330 Hoyte et a1. Apr. 12, 1898 897,420 Small Sept. 1, 1908 1,453,840 Holmquist May 1, 1923 1,914,356 Ayars June 20, 1933 

